[Michael Cantor]

I am delighted to inform everybody that Deborah Warren - a former Mod, who confesses to still lurking from time to time - has won this year's Richard Wilbur Award for her collection Dream With Flowers and Bowl of Fruit.

Deborah, who has also won the 2003 New Criterion Poetry Prize, and a Nemerov, will be reading with Marcia Karp at the Powow River Poets Reading Series in Newburyport, MA, next Wednesday, April 16. See the General Announcements Board for details.

[This message has been edited by Michael Cantor (edited April 09, 2008).]

[David Landrum]

Haven't read the book, of course, but from reading her other works I know the award is well-deserved--perhaps more of an honor for the granters than for the recipient.

dwl

[Catherine Chandler]

Michael,

Thanks for letting us know. Deborah, I am thrilled for you! Congratulations!!!

Catherine

[John Hutchcraft]

Yowza! This is great news. Congrats, Deborah!

[Tim Murphy]

There have been eleven such books. In order of publication there are seven by Sphereans: Stallings, Krisak, Juster, Espaillat, Nicol, Wakefield and Warren. Of course, five of those are Powows! And there's not a fan of the press who won't be delighted with a third book from Deborah.

[Tim Murphy]

The Wilbur, Hecht and Justice Prizes awarded to three of our best poets in one week!

[Andrew Frisardi]

This is great news. I have really enjoyed Deborah's first two books and look forward to reading the new one. She is a special poet. Congrats, Deborah, and congrats to the Wilbur prize.

[Quincy Lehr]

Agreed on the kudos, but what does it say about the poetry scene that someone of Warren's calibre--and track record--has to still take the contest route?

Quincy

[Tim Murphy]

It sucks, Quincy, but given that Rhina was the judge, I'd say Deborah's blind submission had pretty good odds of success. I might have to start going the contest route myself.

[Jennifer Reeser]

Originally posted by Quincy Lehr:
...what does it say about the poetry scene that someone of Warren's calibre--and track record--has to still take the contest route?

Aye. And what does it say, when the greatest writer of us all can moan:

"When, in disgrace with Fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state,
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,
Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least..."

Poor thing. Onward through the fog, as my old musical instructor used to say.

Well-earned congratulations, Deborah! For any interested, here is a link to the winsome title poem, printed in The New Yorker:

Dream with Flowers and Bowl of Fruit